1832.] 
LEAVE BATAVIA. 
323 
CHAPTER XVIL 
Leaving Batavia — Illness of the Commodore's son — Once more at sea— Calms and 
opposing currents — Drag the bottom for shells— Augmentation of the sick-list — 
Heat of the weather — Gaspar Straits — Tardy progress in the Chma Sea— Har- 
assing duty — Cross the equator — Island of St. Barbe — Pulo Aor — Sickness and 
death — Terrific thunder-storm — Death of N. K. G. Ohver, Esq. — Funeral obse- ' 
quies — Contribution for his family — Tedious calms, and oppressive heat — In- 
creasing mortality — Dreary prospects— Cheering sight of a sail — Speak an English 
, bark — Mutual interchange of courtesies — A vertical sun — Coast of China — 
Canton Bay — A Chinese pilot — Anchor in Macao Road. 
The Potomac lay anchored at Batavia, from the twentieth of 
March until the tenth of April, a period of twenty-one days ; 
during which time the commodore and officers had an opportu- 
nity of seeing much of the inhabitants and of the adjacent coun- 
try. They had shared the hospitality of their own countrymen, 
of Europeans, and of the colonists ; visited all the places of in- 
terest and curiosity, and taken notes of whatever they thought 
worth remembering. They had witnessed the curious religious 
ceremony of the Chinese, in walking barefooted over coals of fire ; 
they had made many excursions into the country, to the distance 
of forty miles ; had visited the governor at his palace, and en- 
joyed the wild, rich, and luxuriant scenery of its neighbourhood. 
In one word, they had luxuriated on every innocent and rational 
enjoyment which this " garden of the east" could bestow ; and 
yet every bosom experienced a thrill of deUght when the inspiring 
word was. given — " all hands, unmoor !" For every one felt sus- 
picious of the land breezes of Batavia, and ardently panted once 
more to inhale the pure air of the ocean. 
The commodore's little son, a fine lad, in the tenth year of his 
age, who accompanied his father on the present expedition, was 
seized with the Batavia fever on the first of April, having fallen 
asleep in a draught of air while in a state of perspiration on shore, 
at a villa some distance from the city. For several days the 
youthful sufferer was not expected to recover, and during this 
painful suspense, the commodore, who was constantly with him, 
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